File box for video cassettes

Abstract

A file box for video cassettes comprising a box, the box having a bottom panel, a rear wall panel, a top panel, a left side end cap, and a right side end cap, and a foam liner for covering inside surfaces of the top, bottom and rear panels. A door panel may be included for closing the opening in the front of the file box, and a latch for latching the door flap to the top panel and for closing the box. The foam liner has fingers which form individual compartments for holding the video cassettes firmly and resiliently in place.

We claim: 
     
       1. A file box for video cassettes, comprising a box,   said box having a bottom panel with a front edge portion, a rear edge portion, and a pair of side edge portions,   a rear wall panel having a bottom edge portion, a top edge portion, and a pair of side edge portions,   the bottom edge portion of the rear wall panel being connected to the rear edge portion of the bottom panel with the rear wall panel extending upright from the bottom panel,   a top panel having an outer surface and a front edge portion, a rear edge portion and a pair of side edge portions,   the rear edge portion of the top panel being connected to the top edge portion of the rear wall panel with the top panel extending horizontally from the rear wall panel and being parallel to the bottom panel,   a left side end cap having a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, a front edge portion, and a rear edge portion,   the top edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the top panel,   the rear edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the rear wall panel,   the bottom edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the bottom panel,   a right side end cap having a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, a front edge portion, and a rear edge portion,   the top edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the top panel,   the rear edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the rear panel,   the bottom edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the bottom panel,   an open front formed by the front edge portions of the top panel, bottom panel and side end caps for easy access to video cassettes stored in the file box,   a foam liner covering the inside surfaces of the top, bottom, and rear panels,   said foam liner including foam fingers spaced apart by valleys and extending inwardly from the top, rear and bottom panels to form individual compartments for the video cassettes,   a door panel having a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, a left side edge portion, and a right side edge portion,   the bottom edge portion of the door panel being connected to the front edge portion of the bottom panel along a crease line, and   a door flap having an inner surface and a front edge portion, a rear edge portion, a left side edge portion, and a right side edge portion,   the front edge portion of the door flap being connected to the top edge portion of the door panel along a crease line and overlapping the front edge portion of the top panel.   
     
     
       2. The file box for video cassettes of claim 1, including a step formed on the bottom of each finger for accommodating a video cassette with or without its casing.   
     
     
       3. The file box for video cassettes of claim 1, said end caps having an opening in a top edge portion of the outer ridge at the front edge portion of the top panel for receiving the door flap so that the inner surface of the door flap may contact the outer surface of the top panel.   
     
     
       4. The file box for video cassettes of claim 1, including latch means connected between the door flap and the top panel for latching the door to the top panel and closing the box.   
     
     
       5. The file box for video cassettes of claim 4, said latch means comprising a plug member having a plate and a pair of resilient side tongues with outside edges extending from the plate,   said side tongues having hook portions extending outwardly,   a socket member having a plate,   a housing on the plate with the housing having a top wall with two ends,   and end walls connected between each end of the top wall and the plate to form a slot for receiving the side tongues,   said slot being slightly shorter in length than the distance between the outside edges of the side tongues so that the slot end walls press the side tongues toward each other as the side tongues are being inserted through the slot and so that the side tongues spring away from each other when the tongue hook portions are completely through the slot and hook against the end walls of the slot to hold the latch closed.   
     
     
       6. The file box for video cassettes of claim 5, the plug member further including a central, non-resilient tongue extending from the plate of the plug member between the resilient side tongues.   
     
     
       7. The file box for video cassettes of claim 5, further comprising locking means for locking the latch closed comprising a first inverted-U-shaped member formed on the plug member,   and a second inverted-U-shaped member formed on the socket member and being aligned with said first inverted-U-shaped member when the latch is held closed by the tongue hook portions,   whereby the locking means is adapted to receive a clasp of a lock through the aligned first and second inverted-U-shaped members for locking the latch closed.   
     
     
       8. A file box for video cassettes, comprising a box,   said box having a bottom panel with a front edge portion, a rear edge portion, and a pair of side edges portions,   a rear wall panel having a bottom edge portion, a top edge portion, and a pair of side edge portions,   the bottom edge portion of the rear wall panel being connected to the rear edge portion of the bottom panel with the rear wall panel extending upright from the bottom panel,   a top panel having an outer surface and a front edge portion, a rear edge portion and a pair of side edge portions,   the rear edge portion of the top panel being connected to the top edge portion of the rear wall panel with the top panel extending horizontally from the rear wall panel and being parallel to the bottom panel,   a left side end cap having a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, a front edge portion, and a rear edge portion,   the top edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the top panel,   the rear edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the rear wall panel,   the bottom edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the bottom panel,   a right side end cap having a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, a front edge portion, and a rear edge portion,   the top edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the top panel,   the rear edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the bottom panel,   the bottom edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the bottom panel,   an open front formed by the front edge portions of the top panel, bottom panel and side end caps for easy access to video cassettes stored in the file box,   an inwardly facing groove formed between an outer ridge and an inner ridge extending along the top edge portion, rear edge portion, and bottom edge portions of each end cap with the groove being in the form of a U lying on its side,   the edge portions of the top, rear and bottom panels being seated in said grooves of the end caps,   reinforcing ribs extending between portions of said inner ridge to reinforce the end caps,   said top, bottom, and rear panels having inside surfaces, and said box including a foam liner covering the inside surfaces of the top, bottom, and rear panels,   said foam liner including foam fingers spaced apart by valleys and extending inwardly from the top, rear and bottom panels to form individual compartments for video cassettes,   a step formed on the bottom of each finger for accommodating a video cassette with or without its casing,   a door panel having a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, a left side portion, and a right side portion,   the bottom edge portion of the door panel being connected to the front edge portion of the bottom panel along a crease line,   a door flap having an inner surface and a front edge portion, a rear edge portion, a left side edge portion, and a right side edge portion, the front edge portion of the door flap being connected to the top edge portion of the door panel along a crease line and overlapping the front edge portion of the top panel,   said end caps having an opening in a top edge portion of the first ridge at the front edge portion of the top panel for receiving the door flap so that the inner surface of the door flap may contact the outer surface of the top panel,   latch means connected between the door flap and the top panel for latching the door flap to the top panel and closing the box,   said latch means comprising   a plug member having a plate and a pair of resilient side tongues with outside edges extending from the plate, and a central, non-resilient tongue extending from the plate of the plug member between the resilient side tongues,   said side tongues having hook portions extending outwardly,   a socket member having a plate, and a housing on the plate with a top wall with two ends,   and slot end walls connected between each end of the top wall and the plate forming a slot for receiving the side tongues,   said slot being slightly shorter in length than the distance between the outside edges of the side tongue so that the slot end walls press the side tongues toward each other as the side tongues are being inserted through the slot and so that the side tongues spring away from each other when the tongue hook portions are completely through the slot and hook against the end walls of the slot to hold the latch closed, and   locking means for locking the latch closed comprising a first inverted-U-shaped member formed on the plug member and a second inverted-U-shaped member formed on the socket member and being aligned with said first inverted-U-shaped member when the latch is held closed by the tongue hook portions,   whereby the locking means is adapted to receive a clasp of a lock through the aligned first and second inverted-U-shaped members for locking the latch closed.   
     
     
       9. A file box for video cassettes, comprising a box,   said box having a bottom panel with a front edge portion, a rear edge portion, and a pair of side edges portions,   a rear wall panel having a bottom edge portion, a top edge portion, and a pair of side edge portions,   the bottom edge portion of the rear wall panel being connected to the rear edge portion of the bottom panel with the rear wall panel extending upright from the bottom panel,   a top panel having an outer surface and a front edge portion, a rear edge portion and a pair of side edge portions,   the rear edge portion of the top panel being connected to the top edge portion of the rear wall panel with the top panel extending horizontally from the rear wall panel and being parallel to the bottom panel,   a left side end cap having a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, a front edge portion, and a rear edge portion,   the top edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the top panel,   the rear edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the rear wall panel,   the bottom edge portion of the left side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the bottom panel,   a right side end cap having a top edge portion, a bottom edge portion, a front edge portion, and a rear edge portion,   the top edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the top panel,   the rear edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the rear panel,   the bottom edge portion of the right side end cap being connected to a side edge portion of the bottom panel,   an open front formed by the front edge portions of the top panel, bottom panel and side end caps for easy access to video cassettes stored in the file box,   and a foam liner covering the inside surfaces of the top, bottom, and rear panels,   said foam liner including foam fingers spaced apart by valleys and extending inwardly from the top, rear and bottom panels to form individual compartments for the video cassettes.   
     
     
       10. The file box for video cassettes of claim 9, including a step formed on the bottom of each finger for accommodating a video cassette with or without its casing.   
     
     
       11. A latch for connecting a door to a file box for video cassettes, comprising a plug member having a plate and a pair of resilient side tongues with outside edges extending from the plate, and a central, non-resilient tongue extending from the plate of the plug member between the resilient side tongues,   said side tongues having hook portions extending outwardly,   a socket member having a plate, and a housing on the plate with a top wall with two ends,   and end walls connected between each end of the top wall and the plate forming a slot for receiving the side tongues,   said slot being slightly shorter in length than the distance between the outside edges of the side tongues so that the slot end walls press the side tongues toward each other as the side tongues are being inserted through the slot and so that the side tongues spring away from each other when the tongue hook portions are completely through the slot and hook against the end walls of the slot to hold the latch closed, and   locking means for locking the latch closed, comprising a first inverted-U-shaped member formed on the plug member and a second inverted-U-shaped member formed on the socket member and being aligned with said first inverted-U-shaped member when the latch is held closed by the tongue hook portions,   whereby the locking means is adapted to receive a clasp of a lock through the aligned first and second inverted-U-shaped members for locking the latch closed.